Form-fitting protective headwear

Abstract

Provided are a protective headwear and method of manufacturing the headwear. The headwear includes a body, band and plurality of protective inserts. The body has an opening and a crown, and is configured to fit a head of a person. The band extends from and about the opening of the body to the interior of the body and partially toward the crown. The band is free floating with respect to the body and configured to fit the head of the person. The band includes a plurality of pockets disposed about a base stitching that secures the band to the body. The protective inserts are configured to be received into the pockets to provide a protective function to the head of the person. The protective inserts are disposed adjacently to one another about the band and extend from the base stitching of the band to the crown of the body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing protective headwear, the method comprising:
 providing a body having an opening and a crown, the body configured to fit a head of a person; 
 base-stitching a pocket band to the body such that the pocket band extends about the opening to an interior of the body and partially toward the crown, the pocket band free floating with respect to the body and configured to fit the head of the person, the pocket band having a first portion of a first circumference and a second portion of a gradually-reduced circumference that extends from the first circumference to a second smaller circumference, the pocket band including a plurality of pockets disposed about the base stitching; and 
 inserting a plurality of protective inserts into the plurality of pockets to provide a protective function to the head of the person, the protective inserts being disposed adjacently to one another about the pocket band and extending from the base stitching of the pocket band to the crown of the body. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises forming a cuff monolithically from the body such that the cuff extends from and about the body and away from the crown of the body. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises forming the pocket band separately from the body. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises forming the pocket band monolithically from body. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises forming the body and the pocket band monolithically. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein forming the body and the pocket band monolithically comprises:
 providing a tubular member including a first edge and a second edge between which a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion are disposed, the second tubular portion including at least one plurality of openings disposed around and through the second tubular portion; 
 folding the first edge to the interior of the tubular member at approximately a first fold to form a first folded tubular portion that extends from the first fold to the second edge; and 
 folding the first edge to the interior between the first folded tubular portion and the tubular member at approximately a second fold such that the at least one plurality of openings is disposed at a distance from the first edge; 
 applying the base stitching to secure the first edge between the first folded tubular portion and the tubular member to form the pocket band; and 
 forming the crown at the second edge of the tubular member. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing the tubular member that includes a first plurality of openings and a second plurality of openings disposed around and through the second tubular portion; and 
 folding the first edge at approximately the second fold such that the first plurality of openings is disposed approximately about the second fold and the second plurality of openings is disposed between the first plurality of openings and the base stitching. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises providing side stitchings that extend from the base stitching to at least one opening of the at least one plurality of openings to form a pocket in the pocket band. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises weaving the tubular member to include the first tubular portion to have a first thickness and the second tubular portion to have a second thickness that is less than the first thickness. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein weaving the tubular member comprises:
 weaving the first tubular portion from a first material; and 
 weaving the second tubular portion from a second material. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises forming the pocket band. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming the pocket band comprises:
 defining a v-shaped pattern about a circumference of the second portion of the pocket band, the circumference being about the same as the first circumference; and 
 securing respective sides of the v-shaped pattern to each other to form the second portion with the gradually-reduced circumference. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein forming the pocket band further comprises:
 defining a second v-shaped pattern about the circumference of the second portion of the pocket band, the second v-shaped pattern disposed at a distance from the v-shaped pattern; 
 securing respective sides of the second v-shaped pattern to each other, the secured v-shaped pattern and the secured second v-shaped pattern forming a pocket to receive a protective insert. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting a plurality of protective inserts comprises inserting the plurality of protective inserts through openings in the plurality of pockets such that the protective inserts extend from the base stitching through the openings to approximately the crown, the openings disposed at a distance from the base stitching.